Philippians 4:15-16

Moreover, as you Philippians know, in the early days of your acquaintance with the gospel, when I set out from Macedonia, not one church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving, except you only; for even when I was in Thessalonica, you sent me aid more than once when I was in need.

From Background Notes [BN] for May 5^th & 6^th written by Pastor Bob Brown:

The Greek phrase reads, "once and twice,” an idiom implying the repeated action, as if to say, "so sooner did you send me one gift, than you send me another!" Nor did Paul view the generosity in material terms alone. Rather…

…he calls such stewardship of treasure "a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God.” Remarkably, this language comes from the Temple worship in Jerusalem. What the Philippians are doing for Paul, a world away from Jerusalem, he considers to be every bit as good a Temple offering as could be found in the capital city itself! Stewardship of treasure is a form of sacred worship to God.

In turn, Paul extends an apostolic blessing to his Philippian brothers and sisters: "My God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.” This is the real economy of the kingdom! The Philippians are acting like faithful covenant partners with the Lord Jesus when they extend aid to Paul, "again and again.” In response, Paul invokes the covenant blessing on them for their faithfulness. What is absent from this text is a wooden, mechanical, "tit-for-tat" understanding of how God blesses. Paul knows full well that the riches of God found in Jesus are infinite. He also knows that the Philippians are deeply committed to the Jesus principle of "giving and receiving" which says, "God has freely given to us through His Son. Now we must freely give to others in His name." Giving and receiving" is the truth of the gospel in action.  [BN, 10-11]

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